The Jinx
by Fateema
Summary: The struggle between good and evil is becoming more and more desperate as Mystique has begun to forcibly recruit the one thing that Charles Xavier holds most dear: his students.Rated T for safety's sake.
1. Hijacked

Standard Disclaimers Apply.  
  
A/N: I wrote this chapter fairly quickly but I'm undecided about whether or not to continue with it. What do you think? And thanks to my beta, Silindro, who is a terrific author. She has some great stuff!  
  
--++------------------++-- The Jinx --++------------------++--  
  
Chapter One - Hijacked  
  
"Attention, attention, new mutant signature identified. Now downloading composite image and current location. Name: Elizabeth Jenkins. Age: 17. Location: Komelelo Beach, Kailili Island, Hawaii." A computerized voice stirred within a dark, spherical room. All at once, vast panels lit up, each performing its own operations and duties as the main computer compiled a vague image of teenage girl. This was Cerebro, and this was only one of the wondrous functions it was capable of.  
  
A black woman with striking white hair glanced up at the screen and printed off the now fully developed picture of the girl along with her home address. Methodically, she put the printout on a growing stack of paperwork where no less than fifteen other young people had been added to the day's list. With a sigh, Ororo resumed working on a separate computer, typing up a class schedule. Sometimes, having two jobs really bit the big one.  
  
--++------------------++--  
  
"Ah, good evening Ororo." Professor Xavier, founder of the school, was seated in a wheelchair just behind his desk. On the wooden surface before him was pile after pile of printouts from Cerebro.  
  
"Honestly Charles, I think you should let Hank look at that contraption of yours. It's far too sensitive. Half of these kids haven't even noticed their powers yet." Ororo was scanning the final list she'd printed off for the daily report.  
  
"The numbers, please." The man moved over to his own computer, fingers at the ready as Ororo gave him the summary of Cerebro's findings for the day.  
  
"Twelve boys: Four Americans, two more in Europe, one in Africa, and the final six are in Asia. Four girls: Three Americans, one from Asia." Ororo read the numbers of methodically. The job had become excessively tedious when Cerebro's reach had been extended to cover roughly ninety percent of the Earth's surface. She plopped the sixteen printouts on top of countless others already littering the desk.  
  
"So today's total is sixteen, then. That's encouraging." Charles Xavier had always been upbeat about the prospect of gathering new mutants to his cause.  
  
"You can't be serious about this. It's too much. Most of the kids on those sheets are too young for recruitment." Ororo very rarely spoke up against Xavier.  
  
"Let me be the judge of that, Storm. Now, I've got a lot of work to do and I believe Kitty's whipping something up in the kitchen. You look like you could use a bite to eat." With his final words Ororo, also known as Storm, sipped back out of the office and sighed. Would he ever see the folly of his plan?  
  
--++------------------++--  
  
"Oh Kurt - it's not that bad!" A teenage girl in a soft pink sweater, Kitty, was glaring at a boy of her own age. Yet, there the similarities ended. While Kitty Pryde was a normal teenaged girl with her stylish clothing and ponytail, Kurt Wagner was an entirely different story. For starters, and perhaps his most notable feature, was the velvety blue fur that covered his skin. His pointy ears, fangs, pupil-less yellow eyes, and spade tail gave him a rather demonic inclination. His outward appearance could not be further from the truth of the inside, however.  
  
"No offense Kitty, but . I already ordered a pizza!" Kurt defended himself in a slight German accent. Several other gathered teens began to chuckle, each with uneaten green gunk on their plates - a tribute to their fondness of Kitty's cooking skills.  
  
When Xavier and Ororo entered the kitchen area, they found the place in complete disarray. Kitty, her pretty face heavily splattered with foodstuffs, was chasing Kurt around and around the table. The young German fled for his life, climbing over anyone and anything that got in his way.  
  
"Hey! Crawler!!!" Evan, a young black teen from New York, was knocked backwards out of his seat as Kurt tore across his lap.  
  
"You are so totally dead, Kurt!" Brandishing a wooden rolling pin, Kitty Pryde refused to give up the chase for anything. Not even the massive wooden dining table could deter her in her quest for vengeance on the German mutant. Jubilee and Bobby cringed as Kitty ran right for them, then through them, employing her rather handy capabilities.  
  
"Children, calm yourselves," Ororo pleaded. She glanced at the professor, who was busy trying to hide his grin as Kitty at last flung her arms around a surprised Nightcrawler. Raising the weapon over her head, Kitty bore a look of unending loathing. Kurt looked horrified then clamped his eyes shut and instantly disappeared into a circle of vapor. Finding her quarry had eluded her, Kitty swung the rolling pin through empty air with a snarl.  
  
--++------------------++--  
  
Meanwhile, back in Xavier's study, no one noticed a young boy standing just outside the room. Looking around to make sure his actions would go unseen, the boy instantly melted his body into a lifeless puddle of multi-colored goo and slid beneath the door. Having successfully entered, he resumed his usual form and quickly grabbed several of Cerebro's printouts, melting once more, and exiting without anyone ever knowing he'd come and gone.  
  
Blue-furred mutants, angry teenage girls, and a kitchen table that had seen better days - it was just another morning at Xavier's institute for gifted youngsters.  
  
--++------------------++--  
  
Worlds away, floating in a tropical cove, a teenage girl was paddling hard out for the reef which served as a barrier between open ocean and the safety of the bay. Struggling against the tug of the incoming waves, the young girl got no further than she had any day previously. The jagged coral never got any closer and finally, admitting defeat, she allowed the tide to carry her back to shallow waters. This girl was Beth and this was the morning ritual.  
  
"Heads up!" A stranger's voice cried as she exited the water, tossing her head to begin the long drying process with her hair. Looking up a second too late, she got only a fleeting glance of a white sphere before it collided with her face, sending her backwards into the sand.  
  
"Ohh," Embarrassment and anger twisted an otherwise attractive face. A sheepish-looking boy appeared out of the undergrowth from the direction of the nearby volleyball pit. Deep brown eyes narrowed in outright annoyance. Didn't he have any manners? Or skill?  
  
"Sorry about that, it got away from me." He extended a rather pasty hand, which she eyed but gladly accepted. His brown hair was a bit longer than she thought tasteful but he had a kind face.  
  
"We don't usually get tourists on Kailili." Beth brushed the sand from well-tanned legs.  
  
"Who you callin' tourists, sweet-cheeks?" A short, boy who crouched as opposed to standing piped up, having hopped into the clearing. Beth did a double-take. Hopped? It wasn't long before two others joined them - one being horridly obese like many of the tourists on the larger islands, the other with a smug grin and strangely white hair.  
  
"Well you are," Beth defended herself.  
  
"You-guys-move-too-slow. We-know-all-about-your-secret, Hula-girl." The boy with the white 'do cut in and rushed forward to shake her hand. Beth took a step backwards as her mind struggled to accept what she was taking in. How could a boy move so quickly?  
  
"You know nothing about me." She frowned at him.  
  
"Don't bother about him. We just want to help." It was the first boy, who butted his comrade out of the way and took her hand in his. "We have our sources, and they point to you. You're one of us."  
  
"Who are you?" Beth took another step backwards and suddenly felt horribly underdressed. She was wearing only her bathing suit; a yellow bikini. Reaching for her towel, she shook the sand from it and listened as the boys explained themselves.  
  
Lance, Toad, Fred, and Pietro . Avalanche, Toad, Blob, and Quicksilver. They wanted her to go stateside with them, to refine abilities they assumed she had. Mutant abilities. It was the stuff of freakish dreams, the sort of dreams that made her vow off watching scary movies just before going to bed. Beth felt her knees give slightly. Her morning exercise and the sudden jumble of information made her dizzy.  
  
"Go stateside?" She repeated blankly.  
  
"You learn quick." Pietro rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping off his every word.  
  
"That's it! You guys just go away! I'm going to be late for school." Beth shoved her way through the throng of males, forcing them aside.  
  
"It's-a-bit-late-for-that. You're-not-exactly-enrolled-there-anymore." Pietro called after her. Beth stopped in her tracks and turned to look at them.  
  
"What do you mean?" Beth didn't like where this was going.  
  
"Well, once they find out what you are, you'll be banned anyways. You might as well just come with us." It was Lance, the brown-haired leader.  
  
"You . you're not making any sense." Beth began tracing an escape route in her mind.  
  
"As of this morning, you're with us, Sweet-Cheeks." Toad piped up, flashing yellow teeth in what he thought was a debonair smile.  
  
"Just get her on the plane, you boys are wasting time." An older woman appeared out of the thick tropical undergrowth. The woman had brilliant red hair and very blue skin. Were those scales or was it a trick of the light? Beth very quietly went into shock. No. She didn't want to go with these strange boys and the bizarre, azure-tinted woman in the strange white dress. But a sharp, biting pain to the back of her neck ceased all further thinking and she knew no more.  
  
--++------------------++--  
  
A/N: Like it? Want to see more? Give a click on the little purple button! 


	2. Twisted Minds

Standard Disclaimers Apply

AN: I didn't like this chapter when I first wrote it but it's grown on me. And as always, thanks to my Beta, Silindro, who is an awesome writer.

--++------------------++-- The Jinx --++------------------++--

Chapter Two - Twisted Minds

The day had not yet begun on tiny Kailili Island. A dark calm drifted through the tropical forest; dawn wasn't due for another three hours. Yet all was not quite, all was not well. Along the western beach, a pillar of smoke rose nearly unseen into the inky blackness of night. 

"Hey Charles, I'm over the island now." A gruff, male voice spoke into an earpiece that served as a communicator. He was seated in the cockpit of a spectacular helicopter, which emitted only a low hum from the swiftly rotating blades. 

"The girl's home is at the coordinates I've given you." Xavier replied, seated comfortably several thousand miles away. A note of concern sounded in his voice. It was unlike Logan to be unable to locate a target. When Logan requested he double-check the information, the Professor's worry grew three-fold. Bringing up the information on his computer, Xavier could not understand why Logan was having such trouble. According to satellite imagery, taken three days ago, the little yellow house was snuggled in a small clearing in the midst of some rather dense foliage. 

"Hold up a minute, Charles." Logan glanced down at a small withering object before him and caught the lightest scent of smoke. Shocked, Logan reported back, "Nothing but a rubble heap …. looks like someone beat us to the punch." After this startling piece of news, Xavier could hear a light snarl escape from his pilot. Logan, perhaps better known as Wolverine, pulled the helicopter into a higher altitude and aimed it back towards Mainland. 

"This can only be trouble." Xavier spoke more to himself, setting down his communicator and ending the conversation. 

--++------------------++--

What greeted Beth Jenkins later that morning was not the comforting presence of familiarity, but a shockingly bare room. Raising herself into a sitting position, Beth glanced around for Mr. Waffles, a cherished stuffed animal from her youth. But the ragged old toy's absence didn't seem to bother her much. In fact, her alien surroundings bothered her not in the slightest. She couldn't remember how she'd come to be in this drab little room, but her attempts to recall the events of the previous day only gave her a migraine. It was simply easier to go back to sleep. 

As she was snuggling down into threadbare sheets and a lumpy mattress, a rumble from somewhere downstairs caught Beth's attention. Screams of anger filtered through a flimsy wooden door. Was that glass breaking? Further yelling followed and Beth distinctly heard, "This is the Brotherhood, not the _Sister_hood!" before all fell quiet once more. 

Seconds later the sound of footsteps on the creaking stairs sent Beth instinctively into a pretend sleep, pulling the covers up over her nose. The door opened and in stepped a slender young girl with waist-length raven hair and a middle-aged woman in a brown business suit. 

"You'll be sleeping in here. The boys are going to be repainting this place over the weekend so I wouldn't get too comfortable just yet." The woman watched idly as the young teen placed cheerfully pink luggage on the bed. Chancing a better look, Beth opened her eyes just wide enough to see that this new girl looked rather underfed and had the almond-shaped eyes of an Asian. 

"The room is good." Broken english and a distinctly Chinese accent confirmed Beth's theory and she slid her eyes shut once more, hoping neither of them had noticed. 

"Your roommate there is Beth. If you'd wake her up, I'll have Lance take you both to school." The woman departed the room and Beth at last raised her head. She'd heard enough to understand. This girl was to be her roommate. 

"Oh! You awake?" The Chinese girl was a few years younger, though she was dressed of someone about six years her senior. A short red skirt revealed trim legs while a white blouse showed off a meticulously flat stomach. Beth, her own hair going in every direction, felt quite bulky and awkward next to her compact little roommate. 

"Yeah … what's your name?" Beth threw her legs over the side of the bed, hardly noticing that the pajamas she wore were not her own. 

"I am Aimi." The girl gave her a cheerful wink and held up what looked to be a peace sign. 

"Beth." Came the groggy response. 

"Girls! Your ride's ready!" The woman's business-like voice sounded from downstairs. Aimi changed clothes in a flash, donning a more conservative outfit for school. Apparently modesty did not come naturally to the cheerful young teen as she tossed her old clothes aside, threw a backpack over her should and danced gaily out of the room. 

Discovering a pair of jeans and a baggy T-shirt, Beth dressed herself in a stranger's outfit and let herself out. A foggy sort of calm relieved her of any concern over her surroundings or the situation in general. Who needed worries when there was breakfast, school, and a cute guy with his own set of wheels assigned to give you a ride to class?

--++------------------++--

Watching a dust trail settle back into the gravel driveway, the woman in the business suit crossed her arms and glanced at a young man by her side. He was perhaps only eighteen or nineteen, a young face betrayed his age. 

"They don't suspect anything?" Instantly, the woman's exterior faded away like sand blowing across a desert, becoming an azure face with catlike yellow eyes. A slight smirk revealed elongated canines.

"No, my Lady. But I still think we've acted too quickly. I still can't control it for very long. Mystique, give me a month. I swear I'll be more capable then." The boy's voice was subservient and he looked at his shape-shifting companion with a respectful stare. 

"We had to act now! Another day and Xavier would have them added to his ranks." Mystique snarled slightly. The very thought of the Professor made her rather nauseous. "You'd best get some rest. I'm taking you to Boston tomorrow." She heard him slink off towards the back of the house before turning her gaze back on the front lawn. "Yes, tomorrow. Then we'll have the fifth. And then, Dear Charles …. it's all over." With a triumphant grin, she turned from the window and disappeared into another part of the house. 

--++------------------++--

Glancing around the laboratory, Beth began to wonder several things. Why was she the new student? Why did the professor keep stopping by for a chat every time he passed by? Why was the air conditioning on when it was a measly sixty-five degrees out? 

She sat shivering at a lab table by herself, watching her teapot stubbornly refuse to come to a boil. Most of the other students had reverted to socializing to pass the time. Biting her lip, Beth felt very foolish just sitting there by herself

"Just go ask her, man!" A boy's voice caught her attention. Beth turned just slightly, peering through her dark tresses at a black boy whose hair was dyed a shade of yellowish-blonde. Just now, he was shoving a darker-haired boy off his lab stool. 

"No vay!" The second boy had a German accent. "You go ask her!" Thinking they might be talking about her, Beth felt rather awkward in the loose-fitting clothing while all the other girls in class were wearing more trendy clothes. However, she wasn't the only one who'd overheard the two boys.

"Ask me what?" piped up pretty blonde girl sitting next to them. "If it's about the dance, I'd love to." Both boys looked like they'd been caught off-guard and Beth knew they'd been discussing the blonde girl sitting just behind her. Whirling in her seat, Beth turned back to where her teapot had begun a low whistle.

'_That was stupid, did you really think they'd talk to you?_' Beth bit her lip and began to scribble furiously in her lab report whatever meaningless trivia Mr. McCoy was looking for. 

When the bell rang ten minutes later, an overly perky voice came over the intercom with a reminder about the dance on Friday. Putting her lab coat away and, returning to her seat for her things, she found a hastily written note taped to her backpack. 

'_Are you Elizabeth Jenkins?_' Beth turned it over but whomever had given it to her had left no name, no way to reply. She couldn't understand it, of course she was Elizabeth Jenkins, who else would she be? But the longer she pondered over the note the more she felt a pounding headache flood into her mind. Later, she would not remember throwing it away on her way to second period. 

--++------------------++--

The dance seemed to be everyone's new favorite topic as the school week drew to a close. By lunch on Wednesday, Beth was absolutely sick of it. Flopping down unceremoniously on the grass in the Quad, she pulled out a meager sack lunch. Normally cold pizza and a mushy banana wouldn't appeal to her but today she felt obscenely hungry. 

Most of the gathered crowd was clustered into tight groups of friends, gabbing about dresses, make-up, and all things dance-related. Annoyed, Beth tossed her banana peel behind her and tore into pizza. 

"Hey!" A boy yelled. The sudden ruckus caused the assembled students to turn in Beth's direction, and the chatting instantly subsided. Her cheek filled to the brim with pizza, Beth swiveled her head to see a blonde-haired teen in a letterman's jacket glaring at her from underneath the flaps of her trash. "You threw that at me!"

"Nu-uh!" Beth protested, chewing furiously to regain her voice. 

"And you're going to tell me bananas fly now?" The boy took a menacing step towards her, gathered his right hand into a fist and pounded it into the palm of his left. "No one hits me with garbage…." His eyes narrowed and it was then Beth noticed two of his friends appearing to stand behind him, all three glaring at her. Beth stood up hastily, stammering for an apology. 

"Hey Matthews, leave her alone man." The black boy from Chemistry class walked calmly into the scene. Beth flashed him a grateful smile. She noticed the other boy was missing but felt reassured that at least somebody was looking out for her. 

"And just what are you gonna do about, you Jackson Five reject?" Duncan Matthews smirked confidently, folding his arms over his chest and looking superior. Behind him, his two companions began chortling. 

The sound of the school bell broke up the tense silence and Beth could see the conflict in the athlete's eyes. He obviously longed to put her in her place but with the start of fourth period at hand and the intervention of her classmate, he was reduced to an idle threat and sulked off after his friends. 

"You'd think being held back his senior year would tell him he's an idiot." The boy turned to her, extending his hand to help her up off the grass.

"Thanks for stepping in." She wiped the grass from her legs. "I'm Beth." 

"Evan." He smiled. "Welcome to Bayville." 

--++------------------++--

The beginning of the sixth period found Beth lacing up a pair of grungy sneakers in the girls' locker room. On her left, a trio of her female classmates were crowded together, eyeing a picture of some boy. 

"Ahh, he is _sooo_ cute!" A dark-haired girl swooned, clutching the photo to her chest and leaning against the lockers. 

"And he's got the best car on campus." A blonde next to her pointed out. 

"Have you decided what you're wearing on Friday night, Teryn?" The third girl asked, leaning over to peer at the snapshot. 

"Alright girls, listen up!" The coach, a rather masculine woman with a mean look in her eye, clapped her broad hands together to get their attention. "Today is our day on the track so get yourselves outside." The coach's eyes fell on Beth. As the students filtered out, the masculine woman continued to watch the new girl. 

"Yes?" Beth asked, unnerved by the woman's rude stare.

"You're a swimmer." The coach was eyeing her legs, a little slender with her youth but made hard by a daily activity Beth couldn't recall. 

"Yes." Beth said it automatically and would later wonder why she'd said such a thing. With little warning, a sudden pain pierced her skull. It felt as though her mind was expanding out past her skull. Rubbing her temple, Beth barely registered the Coach handing her a slip of paper with the words 'Swim Team Tryouts' on it. Feeling a little dazed, Beth headed outside into the calm of the autumn afternoon, clutching the paper in one hand and rubbing her forehead with the other. 

--++------------------++--

Her face flushed red from the brisk jog she'd had to keep up for half an hour, Beth quickly stripped out of her Bayville gym clothes and put on her borrowed attire. Pulling the green T-shirt over her head she discovered she was still grasping the now crumpled slip of paper. Scanning it absently, she gathered her things and strolled with the crowd over to the parking lot. 

"Hey Scott!" Teryn appeared from somewhere behind her, rushed forward and nearly sent her tumbling to her knees. Beth frowned and readjusted her things, watching Teryn race over to meet a tall boy beside a shiny, red convertible. She scowled; sometimes the wealthiest people were also the rudest. 

"Bet'! Bet'!" a Chinese accent floated over the crowd and Beth turned to see Aimi waving her over from the passenger side of a familiar green Jeep. Smiling, Beth changed direction and headed for her friends. She was just climbing into the backseat when she saw someone walk past her and up the driver's side door. 

"You haven't called." It was Scott, Teryn's love interest with the convertible. Rolling her eyes, Beth clambered in behind Aimi and buckled herself in. 

"She knows things have been tight at the Boarding House, Summers." Lance Alvers gritted his teeth and his female passengers watched them with growing interest. 

"You should call." Scott replied, folding his arms over a green sweater. 

"And you should go home. You don't even go here anymore." Lance fired up his Jeep. 

"Neither do you." Scott pointed out. "Look, just give her a call. The rest of us are sick of hearing her whine about it." With a rude grunt, Lance stomped on the accelerator and sped off down the lane. 

"Who 'her'?" Aimi asked curiously, reclining in her seat. As the Jeep picked up speed, Aimi's ebony tresses fluttered in the wind. Somewhat interested, Beth leaned forward, letting her body rest between the two front seats. 

"It's a long story." Lance sighed. Beth saw a shadow of grief tint his brown eyes and she longed to tell him it would be okay. She hadn't known him for very long but he was her favorite person at the boarding house. 

"Miss Teek' comin' back tonight, we should have big dinner." Aimi announced, switching the subject. 

"We're a little short of cash for that." Lance reminded her, smiling despite their desperate lack of money. Beth knew he was putting on a brave face but he seemed happier with his thoughts off the mystery girl. 

"If you stop by Wall-Mart I'll run in and grab some noodles." Beth offered, fishing out a five-dollar bill from her pocket. After a few questions as to how she'd come by such funds and why on earth she'd want to waste it on Mystique, Lance turned to give her a kind smile. In the days she'd been living with the Brotherhood, she'd realized that Lance was carrying the majority of the financial burden. He never complained too much but she still felt it was her duty to help him out, having received room and board free of charge. 

One short stop at the overcrowded retail store later and they were once more headed for the boarding house, loaded up with ten packs of Cup Ramen, a gallon of milk, and a loaf of bread. Lance pulled onto their street rather quickly, in good spirits and accidentally hopping the curb in his enthusiasm. Laughing, Aimi and Beth both clung onto their seats as though their lives depended on it, teasing Lance for his mistake. 

But as they drew closer and closer, Lance thought he perhaps had taken it too rough with them. He started slowing down when he saw Aimi's eyes slide shut for a moment, as though blinking in slow motion. 

"Hey now, no getting sick in the car!" He teased but neither girl laughed. 

"He's just tired." Beth replied, hiding a yawn. Lance cocked a brow. He? 

As they pulled into the driveway, both girls climbed out with much less gusto than they'd had less than five minutes previously. Lance offered to carry the groceries and was halfway to the door when he heard it. 

"Oh!" Beth stopped in her tracks, her knees shaking uncontrollably. She hadn't slept in days; the trip to Boston had worn her out immensely. Aimi dropped to her knees and lay down, crumpling on the ground. As a peaceful blackness consumed her vision, Beth thought she saw Lance running toward her but her mind cried out for mercy and sleep found her right there on the lawn. 

--++------------------++--

Author's Endnotes: This chapter turned out to be a lot longer than I anticipated but hey, after so long – it should be! Well if you liked it, push the purple button. If you hated it, push the purple button. Either way: Review! 


	3. Memories

Standard Disclaimers Apply

--++------------------++-- The Jinx --++------------------++--

Chapter Three – Someone Else's Memories

It had been days since anyone had seen Sean Kingsley. His shockingly silver hair and special ability to melt into a liquid substance had earned him the codename "Mercury". Yet, although Professor Xavier was concerned about his absence, he'd not sent anyone to look for him. There was no need. 

Two days previous Cerebro had suddenly come to life, alerting everyone present to the fact that Mercury had used his powers to take his leave of the Institute. The professor had been the only one present at the time and was rather grieved to see his student turn traitor. For not only had Cerebro spoken of his departure, but it had showed him knocking hastily on the door to the Brotherhood of Mutants. Xavier wasn't sure quite how it had happened but somehow Mystique had lured away young Mr. Kingsley. 

When news began to travel that Sean had left, never to return, rumors spread like wildfire throughout the students. Someone claimed he'd melted and then evaporated, another swore they'd seen him go into the Danger Room with Logan and heard a distinct screaming shortly afterward. Kitty pointed out that it was probably Sam Guthrie, who'd accidentally put a sizable dent into Logan's precious motorcycle and been assigned to extra training sessions as punishment. 

Three days after Sean's flight, Xavier called the multitudes to him at dinner and explained that their comrade had left them to join the Brotherhood. The room went very still and everyone went to bed to consider what had happened. They'd never lost a student to the Brotherhood. Xavier put a hand to his palm, rubbing the tension away. Somehow he was certain this wouldn't be the last time. 

--++------------------++--

Friday morning came and Beth was forced to endure another awkward Chemistry lab. Pushing multi-colored beads together, she constructed her DNA model with much less gusto than most of her other projects. The cause of her rather temperamental mood swing was seated cheerfully next to her, gabbing loudly with the blonde behind them. 

Sam Donnelly was easily the biggest jerk Beth had ever had the displeasure to meet. Even worse than Duncan Matthews, if it were possible. The first thing he'd ever said to her had been "If you lose a little weight, you'd be really cute." The Brotherhood's newest recruit, he was closest in age to her but there the resemblance stopped. Just now, he was turning on his charm for Ashley, the blonde in the second row. 

Sighing, Beth tried to tune out their conversation, wishing desperately that Mr. McCoy would silence them for her. She couldn't help but notice Sam had yet to begin on his DNA model, let alone the lab report. With a grim smile, she rather hoped he'd flunk out of her grade so she wouldn't have to put up with him anymore. 

"….and I was like, 'No!' And then he was all, 'But why not?' So I was like, 'Because Sam's cuter, duh!'" Ashley, the girl who up until yesterday had been planning on attending the dance with the German student, leaned forward on her lab table. Beth frowned, wondering if the girl noticed her bra was showing. She was also concerned for the German boy. She couldn't remember his name but he was friends with Evan, so he had to be a decent guy. 

Kurt Wagner hadn't come to class this morning. Somehow Beth just knew that foolish girl in the second row had hurt his feelings by dumping him after forcing him to accept her invitation to the dance. Now she had snagged Sam. Not that that was hard, Beth reminded herself; anything with curves in the right places seemed to attract Sam. 

"Alright class, finish up your reports and pass them to the front of the class." Mr. McCoy signaled the end of class and, amid the mass shuffling of backpacks and papers, Beth noticed Sam furiously copying her answers onto his own sheet. 

"Hey!" Beth snatched her paper away. If he wanted the grade, he should have spent the hour constructing his own DNA model and left Ashley well enough alone. With Sam glaring daggers at her, Beth handed in her papers and headed out into the already overcrowded hallway. It was going to be one of those days. 

--++------------------++--

Scott Summers, a graduate of Bayville only last May, sat poring over a large text in the library. Surrounding him, several of the younger students huddled together, having chosen to be homeschooled as opposed to attending Bayville Junior High. 

Out of nowhere, a bodiless voice resounded inside Scott's mind, "_Cyclops, we need you in the garage_."

"_What's up, Professor_?" Scott asked mentally, turning shaded eyes back to his book. He only had another three pages. 

"_Just a little …. mission with Logan._" Xavier replied, hesitant about asking for such a favor from someone three floors beneath him. Hearing the uneasy tone in the Professor's request, Scott got to his feet and gathered his belongings.

"_No problem_." Scott sighed but obediently followed his orders, slipping a piece of paper from his pocket into the book and lugging it back over to the shelf. Soon enough, he was on his way outside to the garage. 

--++------------------++--

Although she didn't have a date, Beth was glad tonight was the night of the dance. The gym had been decorated with gaudy construction paper, balloons, and streamers. At long last, the trivial gossip would end and life would return to normal. But Beth had not counted on what awaited her the moment she set foot back inside the home of the Brotherhood. 

"It wasn't me!" Todd yelled, hopping up the stairs in a hasty fashion. Beth paused in the entryway, watching Miss Darkholme's eyes flash angrily at the young mutant. 

"What going on?" Aimi asked, flouncing in after Beth with Lance bringing in the rear. 

"We've been robbed!" Fred whined, looking around desperately to make sure his secret stash of Malamars had been overlooked in the raid. 

"Robbed?" Beth was incredulous. They had no possessions of any great value; who would be dumb enough to rob them? 

"But nothing's gone." Lance raised a brow, glancing at the television set and over to the kitchen. Sure enough, everything seemed to be present, though somewhat reorganized. 

"It was Xavier." Mystique, known to her new recruits as Miss Darkholme, sneered angrily. Beth had never seen her so angry. 

"The X-geeks, no way!" Todd called from the top stairs. "We'd have seen them!" 

"How would you know? You and Fred spent the day at the mall, _forcibly collecting cash_ as you so eloquently put it." Mystique was positively livid, staring at a square patch of wood, surrounded by dust. Though Beth had never seen its contents, she knew Mystique had kept a locked suitcase there that had seemed to be of some importance. 

"What's an X-geek?" Beth asked. Beside her, Aimi just shrugged. They had yet to be truly informed of their rivals at Xavier's Institute. 

"Girls - get upstairs. Lance, Toad, Freddy – you boys come with me." Mystique led the way back outside for a private chat. 

"Pah, we can do anyt'ing boys do!" Aimi stuck out her tongue and trotted grudgingly up the stairs. But Beth didn't follow. Her mind screamed at her to get upstairs but her heart said go outside. That did it. For the time she'd spent amongst the other mutants, her thoughts were becoming less and less like her own. She was sick of the migraines whenever her past was brought up, annoyed of weird dreams of dolphins and a dark-skinned man with a yellow ponytail. One rebellious moment later and she set foot outside the door. 

--++------------------++--

A white flash crossed her vision. She had stepped out of her body, left it behind. Her mind cried over and over again for her to turn back. From out of nowhere, a stinging ache flooded her mind and sent her to her knees. Tears stung her eyes and Beth gave a cry of pain and confusion. 

Mystique glared furiously at a dark window upstairs but the damage had already been done. Lance, good-hearted boy that he was, was the first to rush forward. He spoke her name over and over again, holding her hand and feeling her head. She was burning up. 

Looking dumbstruck, Todd and Freddy glanced up to Mystique for leadership. Without an explanation, Mystique stormed back inside the house and up the stairs, slipping inside a room no one had ever seen before. 

Her vision clearing, Beth calmed down instantly. Her mother was telling her to be a good girl, to be quiet. "Mama?" She asked, reaching forward to touch the beloved face. As her senses returned to her, she found Lance's brown eyes watching her intently and heard snickering from somewhere out of sight. 

"Beth?" Lance had never seen anyone with her symptoms. Her fainting spells and headaches were becoming more and more common, as were Aimi's. Even the boisterous Sam had come down with something akin to a three-hour coma upon his arrival. 

"I saw my mother." Beth stated. It was very important that she get him to understand. "She told me to be good." 

"I know, you called me 'Mama'." Lance glanced over his shoulder as Todd and Freddy began chuckling once more. 

"No, you don't understand. I saw my _mother_. She spoke to me but it wasn't her." Beth looked up at the sky, tears spilling onto her cheeks. "It couldn't have been her." 

"Because she's back in Hawaii?" Lance prompted.

"Because she died when I was three." 

--++------------------++--

At the Xavier Institute, Charles Xavier was seated at the head of a long table in the Danger Room. Seated before him were his young X-men: Scott, Jean, Kurt, Rogue, Kitty, and Evan. On either side of him Ororo and Logan wore expressions of worry and annoyance, respectively. 

"Forgive the surroundings but the Institute is no longer safe for this sort of conversation." Xavier began heavily. This little revelation came as no surprise. The assembled group knew exactly what had happened with Sean. "It is not often we must resort to illegalities to achieve our means but today it was unfortunately required. Today Scott and Logan broke into the home of the Brotherhood of Mutants." 

As soon as the words had been spoken, several students stared in silent shock. Sure, Logan had been a rule-breaker for as long as anyone had known him, but Scott?! Even Jean seemed surprised and, glancing uncertainly to the chestnut-haired youth, could see he was not entirely pleased with what had happened. 

"Last week, three of Cerebro's printouts went missing." Xavier spoke again, this time more pointedly. "It appears that young mister Kingsley has taken the liberty of selling them to Mystique. The files were concerning Aimi Chin, Sam Donnelly, and Elizabeth Jenkins." 

"Sam's in our Chemistry Lab!" Evan piped up, astonished. He'd had no idea that Sam had been a mutant. 

"So's Beth." Kurt pointed out. 

"And Aimi's in home-ec with me." Kitty volunteered. 

"I'm aware that you've met them and that is yet another reason I must call on your services. There's something strange about these three students. There is some force at work here; someone other than Mystique seems to be behind their recruitment." The Professor continued. "I want each of you to pair up and find out what precisely is going on with the Brotherhood." 

As one, the assembly turned to look at Kitty Pryde. She rolled her eyes; she should have seen it coming. Spy on the Brotherhood to get dibs on the three new students? "Fine, I'll call Lance in the morning." 

"Well, with that settled, I believe you have a dance to attend. Have fun." Xavier tried to be cheerful but with the anxiety of his orders looming over their heads, those who were still dance-bound were hard pressed to muster up any sort of high spirits. 

--++------------------++--

Author's Notes: For those who read my Jott fic "Snowed In", I forgot to mention it was a one-shot. Sorry guys! 

Reese Cup – Thanks! 

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	4. Tryouts

--+------------------+-- The Jinx --+------------------+--

Chapter Four – Tryouts

They had laugh at her, called her names, and irritated her to no end. But today she would silence them all. Donning a simple black one-piece, Beth stepped out of the locker rooms and walked purposefully over to the edge of the pool. Coach McFadden stood at a row of low platforms used for diving starts. Already lounging about were seven other girls, who turned their heads as one to watch her enter.

While most of the Bayville girls were willowy and sweet, Beth had a hard-set look in her eyes. Putting her hands on her hips, she paused to watch the coach for instruction. One of the other girls, a petite girl called Kitty, stood up and gave her a pleasant wave. Beth's determined face faltered for a moment and she allowed a tiny smile in return.

"Alright girls, listen up." McFadden waved a meaty hand at the shallow end of the pool. "Everybody in."

As the eight young teens slipped into the water, Beth thought she saw a flash of white out of the corner of her vision. "Pietro?"

"Now – Johnson, Pryde, Jenkins, Snodgrass, you're up first. I want two laps, as quick as you can." She tossed down four sets of swimming goggles. "And remember, I only need three of you; do your best!" As hair was tucked tightly into swimming caps and goggles were positioned over the eyes, the coach blew her whistle – the race was on!

--+------------------+--

"Man-I-still-don't-see-why-we-hafta-be-here." Pietro complained, sitting in the hallway just outside the poolroom.

"You know why. Mystique don't need a drowned Hawaiian; she'd get water all over the floor." Todd chuckled, squatting on the clean tile.

"Besides – what else is there to do?" Lance had his hands folded behind his head and was looking at the ceiling, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Hey guys, you should see this." Fred interrupted; his dark little eyes bulged slightly. As one, the other three boys turned their attention to the scene within the poolroom.

Inside, Beth and her three competitors were just finishing up. As they climbed out, their four observers gave a collective sigh. Water cascaded down tan legs, swimming caps were pulled loose to release wet tresses, goggles handed over to the next group. Beth and the other three sat down casually, watching the competition and mentally critiquing each performance. Beth felt rather at ease in the water. Johnson, Kitty, and Snodgrass were milling about, leaning casually on some towels and extending long legs.

"That .… is so .… cool!" Todd exclaimed, already debating whether to risk a journey towards a large body of water if it meant he could get closer.

"Still wanna leave Pietro?" Lance asked, smirking and unable to take himself from the beautiful scene unfolding before him. His eyes found Kitty and he let his eyes take in every inch of her petite form, trying to commit the whole thing to memory.

"Not on your life, Alvers." Pietro said from somewhere close by.

--+------------------+--

All-in-all the tryouts took less than half an hour. A few graceful dives and a mess of apprehension later and Bayville had its newest swim team members, though only Coach McFadden knew exactly who.

"Results will be posted tomorrow morning in the cafeteria. I'd like to thank everyone who tried out." She spoke only half-heartedly, looking rather distracted. As the girls filed off to the locker room, Beth found herself staying behind.

"You can come out now – I know you were watching." She turned brown eyes on the foursome by the door. "You boys need to be a little more discreet about your hiding places."

"Who says we were hiding?" Fred replied, looking longingly at the door to the girl's locker room.

"Besides, Hula-Girl, you-might-have-passed-out-in-the-water-and-Alvers-was-hoping-for-the-chance-to-perfect-his-CPR-technique." Pietro smirked and Beth flushed red. Glancing at the lanky speed demon, she mustered her best frown and pulled a pair of thin gym pants over her suit.

"Well at least I'm not in the locker room." Pietro spouted off, folding his arms and looking cross.

"Where's Todd?" Beth asked, suddenly noticing the little guy's absence.

"Get _OUT_!" A horrible screeching burst from the girls' locker room, followed closely by a scared-looking Todd. Lance, Freddy, and Pietro began laughing hysterically as their comrade's plight as Coach McFadden hurled herself out after him, yelling all sorts of horrible insults and shaking a fleshy fist.

"Maybe we should be going." Beth called, watching as Todd scrambled up the high dive on the far end of the pool.

"And miss Wart-face getting creamed by Miss Testosterone? No way!" Lance laughed, letting Beth tug on his arm. Beth sighed and calmly donned a T-shirt and her flip-flops as the coach's tirade continued. With a silencing _splash_, Toad landed in the water. Coach McFadden seemed satisfied and sauntered back into the girls' room.

"Oh and Jenkins – you should know you made the team." The Coach called over her shoulder. Pietro commented quietly that some of the other girls had looked better in their suits and that's what really counted.

"Now that he has _that_ out of his system, can we get going?" Beth whined, listening to a sputtering sound coming from the surface of the water as Todd scrambled out of the pool. She was trying to hide a grin and failing rather miserably. As they all turned to go, she felt Lance's hand on the small of her back. Somehow, even with Todd's little shenanigan, the night had turned out rather well.

--+------------------+--

It was three in the morning and somewhere in the lower floor, a commotion was stirring. Beth groaned, and pulled the blankets over her head. Across the room, Aimi slipped out to investigate. Beth was slipping off into peaceful slumber once more when an argument broke out that seemed to shake the condemned old house to its very foundation.

But wait – that wasn't an exaggeration. The house was rumbling!

"Earthquake!" Beth shrieked and bolted downstairs, ignoring her lack of trousers. Taking the steps four at a time, she found Lance and the rest of her housemates gathered there and threw her arms around the nearest one to protect herself.

"Damn it, why does Alvers get all the luck?" Todd scowled, envious of the scantily clad woman clinging fearfully to the one she saw as 'Team Leader'.

"Hey Bet'! Easy! Is no big deal!" Aimi called, placing a diminutive hand on her roommate's arm.

"What?" Beth questioned, her mind finally awakening. "What's going on?" She tried to throw her legs over the edge of the bed and was disconcerted to find she was already standing and in no fact anywhere near the bedroom. What she had thought was a nightmare was still staring her right in the face. Another tremor passed through the house and Beth shrieked as a dusty old painting fell off the wall. The dust settled, and the house fell silent.

"Beth?" Lance questioned, watching the younger girl struggle as though half-asleep. The terror in her eyes moments earlier had been quite vivid. "It's alright; it was just a little tremor." He soothed, patting her head and looking rather at a loss.

"No, the house was shaking … Avalanche." She muttered, hardly hearing herself. Her voice was lower than normal. "Miss Darkholme said to watch your temper."

"Yeah no joke, Lance. Mystique's still ticked off from the last time you-" Todd recalled but was quickly silenced with a furious glare from the taller teen.

"It's okay; I have control of her now." Beth's voice was oddly dark and her words were clearly not her own. "Put her back to bed." A dark figure appeared at the top of the stairs, watching the collected group. He remained silent but a feeling of eerie calm passed over the group. As one, Beth and Aimi turned their eyes from him, unable to see him.

"You're not supposed to be out of your room, Whitstaff." Lance narrowed his eyes. His mind told him to behave but the suddenly-swooning girls angered him beyond the calming effect the young man upstairs was giving off. Todd and Fred left, mindlessly wandering through less confusing parts of the house.

"Just put the girls to bed, you git." Beth replied, her voice suddenly accented with a hint of British flair.

"Let them go." Lance gritted, being forced to one knee by some unseen force.

"When the Lady's done with them." The words, still coming from Beth, sounded odd – as though they were being forced out.

Lance let the girl go, watching as she tumbled to the floor. His hands met threadbare carpet to help hold up his quickly tiring body. "Let us go."

"Not a chance." Beth murmured, despite looking rather unconscious. The dark figure descended the stairs easily, pushing more of his energy against a struggling Lance. A cape of black and crimson billowed around him and bright eyes shone sinisterly in the dark.

Lance's knees quivered beneath him. His anger mounted and he reached out weakly even as his body dropped to the floor. A low rumble sounded from somewhere deep beneath the house and at last, all was quiet.

--+------------------+--


End file.
